1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a method of producing a substantially monomer-free polyvinyl acetate dispersion or emulsion, typically in water or aqueous vehicles. The process of producing the substantially monomer-free polyvinyl acetate begins with producing dry polyvinyl acetate particles that are substantially monomer-free and are readily dispersible in an aqueous carrier, e.g. water. The resulting polyvinyl acetate dispersion compositions are low in odor, producing clear, dry films, and may be used in adhesives, sealants, caulks and coatings.
2. Description of the Related Art
Exposure of consumers to vinyl acetate monomer is of increasing concern. In the United States, if a product contains 0.1% or more of such monomer, a warning statement must appear on a material safety data sheet (hereinafter "MSDS"). Also, if a product contains over 1%, a "may cause skin reaction" statement will have to be added to the MSDS.
Thus, the production of a vinyl acetate which is substantially monomer-free, i.e. a substantially free vinyl acetate is one defined as having a vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) content of less than 50 ppm VAM content, i.e., 0-50 ppm of VAM (hereinafter denoted "VAM-free") consumer adhesive, sealant, caulk or coating is desirable in order to reduce possible health risks due to exposure to products which contain high contents of vinyl acetate monomer.